The Nigerian Government has said significant progress has been made towards establishing state police, with constitutional amendments expected soon following months of consultations among the Executive, the National Assembly and security authorities.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing State House Correspondents after a consultative meeting convened by the Presidency on state police, held at the State House, Abuja.
The consultative meeting, which took place at the State House in Abuja, was attended by Jibrin Barau, deputy senate president; Benjamin Kanu, deputy speaker of the house of representatives; Tunji Disu, inspector-general of police (IGP); and other government officials.
Gbajabiamila said the establishment of state police cannot be done with the “snap of the fingers”, adding that many legal and constitutional issues are involved.
“We started deliberations in the last three or four months on how to go about the establishment of state police as directed by Mr President,” Gbajabiamila was quoted in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson.
“Establishing state police is not something that you do with the snap of the fingers. There is a lot involved in terms of constitution and legalities, and thank God we have now gained a lot of traction.
“Hopefully, the amendment will come shortly, and the details of the amendment will come after that.
“Right now, what we are looking at is the constitutional amendment itself, and then the enabling law would follow thereafter.
‘”That is what we have been deliberating on in the last couple of hours.”
Recently, Opeyemi Bamidele, senate leader, said the national assembly would fast-track the establishment of state police following the abduction of students and teachers in Borno and Oyo states.
In March, the IGP inaugurated a seven-member steering committee on the establishment of state police.
The conversation on the creation of state police has heightened owing to the rising insecurity in many parts of the country.
On May 15, gunmen attacked three schools in Oriire LGA, abducting about 39 students and seven teachers.
Between May 13 and 14, gunmen attacked a primary school in Chibok, Borno, and abducted 42 children.
